Explosive compound.



nrrn TATES SHERMAN CLARK, OF GOLD HILL, OREGON;

EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND.

SPEC I FICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 649,913, dated May22, 1900. I Application filedJenuai-y 26, 1900- Serial No. 2,825. (Nospecimens-i To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SHERMAN CLARK, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Gold Hill, in the county of Jackson and State of Oregon,have invented certain new and useful-Improvements in ExplosiveCompounds,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention, while relating to explosive compounds generally,hasreference more particularly to that class thereof which are made use ofin projectiles, torpedoes, submarine mines, and the like, as well as forblasting and other similar purposes, its object being to provide anexplosive compound of this class.

which in addition to being cheap of manufacture, powerful in operation,and safe in production and handling shall at the same time emit theleast amount of fumes when exploded, and these be of a character thatwill quickly pass away, shall be unafiected in its strength either byheat or cold or by dampness, and shall be capable of manufacture instick or other form.

To these ends the invention consists in a peculiar composition of matterhaving the characteristics mentioned, all as will hereinafter more fullyappear.

In the production of my improved compound I make use of the followingingredients, viz: crude nitrate of soda, commercial sulphur, metallicantimony, charcoal or coke, picric-acid crystals, nitric acid, rosin orflour, and water. These after having been properly prepared may becombined in various proportions. The preparation and proportions which Ihave found to give the best results in practice, however, aresubstantially the following, the proportions being taken by weight: Ifirst dry and take nineteen (19) parts of the nitrate of soda, two andone-half (215-) parts of the metallic antimony, three (3) parts of thesulphur, three and one-half parts of the charcoal or coke, one-third (t)part of the-picric-acid crystals, and one-half (1}) part of the rosin orflour and crush or pulverize each separately until they severally reachsuch a degree of subdivision that the nitrate of soda, the sulphur, thecharcoal or coke, and the rosin or other equivalent will each passthrough a sixty mesh screen, the antimony through an eighty (80) meshscreen, and the pierie-aeid cyrstals are reduced to a powtil thelast-mentioned ingredient is nearly dis- 1 next take the charcoal orcoke and .6o

solved. sulphur and after having thoroughly intermixed them add them,with the metallic antimony and picric-acid crystals, to the solution ofnitrate of soda, nitric acid, and water and then grind and mix theseveral ingredients thoroughly together while adding thereto the rosinor its equivalent, which serves as a hinder or reducer for the otherelements. The several ingredients thus brought together thereupon appear'in the form of a soft mushy mass, which if too dry or stiff to permitof their ready incorporation may be softened or tempered by the additionof a further amount of warm water, if so desired. The thoroughcommingling of the several ingredients having been accomplished, thecompound is then dried until it is in condition either for molding orforgranulation, as may be required. When it is desired to mold tl18 byany of the means usually employed for such purposes, and the resultingproduct thereby in like manner made ready for its intended uses.

In some instances it may be found convenient to use the crushed compoundin the condition it is left by the crushing devices with i the varioussizes of granulesor kernels intermixed, and in those cases no furthertreatment of the same will be required prior to its use. I prefer,however, to segregate the different sizes of granules or kernels fromone another by appropriate screens after the crushing of the compoundhas been effected and 2 seems to employ the diiferent sizes thereof bythemselves as the requirements of the particular uses to which thecompound may be applied demand.

When desired, the intermixing of the several ingredients may be edectedby hand, in which cases. only a suitable'receptacle fort-he mass andsuch stirring implements as, for instance, paddles, shovels, or the likewill be required. it is preferred, however, to effect this intermixingby machinery,and especially so when large masses of the compound are tobe produced, and in these cases any of the ordinary and well-knownmixing apparatus employed in powdenmills and chemical works may beemployed; but as these form no part of my present invention a furtherdescription of the same herein is not deemed necessary.

As thus described, an explosive compound is produced which is incapableof explosion except when confined, but when in that condition may bereadily fired by a fuse or electric spark, is much more powerful in itsoperation and can be manufactured at a much less cost than the ordinaryblack powder now in use, is thoroughly safe in manufacture andhandiingand is in no Way injuriously affected by changes in theatmospheric or hygrometric" conditions. I

Although in the foregoing I have described the proportions and theparticular ingredients which I have found in practice to give the bestresults I Wish it distinctly understood, however, that I do not limitmyself strictly thereto, as it isobvious that I may not only modify theproportion, but substitute other ingredients for some of those mentions--as,

for instance,flour and other materials in place mass in that case untilit will pass through a sixty (60) mesh screen.

Having now described my invention and specified certainpf the ways inwhich it is or may be carried into eiiect, I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States '1. The herein describedexplosive compound formed by mixing nitrate of soda, sulphur, metallicantimony, carbonaceous matter, picric acid, nitric acid, and a reducer,

substantially as described.

2. The herein-described componnd,formed by mixing nitrate of soda,sulphur, metallic antimony, carbonaceous matter, picric acid, nitricacid, rosin, and water, in the proportions, substantially as described.

In witness whereofi have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of January,1900.

SHERMAN CLARK.

Witnesses:

W. A. CARTER, W. ii. RIOKEY.

